woetendyke



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

H. WORTENDYKE.- SELF FEEDING FURNACE. No. 593,713. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. WORTENDYKE. SELF FEEDING FURNACE. N015939713. Patented Nm 16,1897.

MZ TNEssEs IJNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HOWARD WORTENDYKE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB HEGLIN, OF SAME PLACE.

SELF-FEEDING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 593,713, dated November 16, 1897. A li ati fil d, November lfl, 1896. Serial No. 612,078. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I,HowARD WORTENDYKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Feeding Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference'bein g hadtothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My improvement relates to self-feeding furnaces, and has for its object to produce as nearly as possible the complete combustion of the fuel; and it consists in certain improvements in the furnace construction and a stoker so constructed as to feed the fuel constantly in small quantities, which can be regulated'upward to the fire, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

It is a well-known fact that to obtain the best results from coal as a fuel it should be supplied as nearly continuously as possible at a rate corresponding with the combustion, so that there will always be a sufficient supply to keep the file at a proper stage and never a surplus which would choke the fire and be partially thrown off unconsumed. Where the door of the furnace is opened for the purpose of introducing the fuel, the consequent draft of cold air on top of the fire checks the combustion and cools the furnace to a certain extent. The fresh cold fuel thrown on the fire momentarily checks the combus: tion, absorbs the heat, and a large percentage of the volatile gases in the fresh coal is liberated and passes out of the furnace unconsumed, producing smoke. The object of my improved stoker is to overcome these objections and to supply a constantly automatic feed in such a manner that combustion may be uniform in its progress and intensity and as nearly complete as possible.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal cross-section of my improved furnace and stoker; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-section; Fig. 3, a horizontal cross-section; Fig. 4:, a cross-section of the cylinder forming the stoker proper, and Fig. 5 the pawl and ratchet controlling the doors.

A is the fuel-chamber, which may be made of any suitable dimensions without gratebars and near its top on either side with twyer-irons a,- through which the draft or blast is admitted to the fire and which connect with the conduits 13, leading from the fan or blower. Extending through the lower part of this fuel-chamber is a shaft C, arranged to reciprocate and operate by the cam D in the scotch-yoke F, so as to move only in a straight line. On the opposite end of this is a cross-plate G, closing the cylinder, and

behind the plate G is a chamber open at the sides with a cross brace or guide g. The end of the shaft 0 is threaded, and on either side of the brace g are nuts H, by which-the position of the cylinder or stoker E on the shaft C may be adjusted backward or forward. r

I is a hopper into which the coal or fuel is dumped. The longest throw of the shaft 0,

and'with it the cylinder or stoker E, is equal to the depth of the discharge-opening of. the hopper at '5, so that as the cam D turns in the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. l the cylinder. E is moved outward until the serrated edge e is beneath the outward edge of the hopper I, permitting the contents of the hoppercoa'l'to fall-into the opening in front of the 'stoker E until it is filled. The reverse motion of the cam and shaft Opushes this fuel or coal forward into the chamber A and continues its operation until its chamber is full up to or above the level of the twyerirons.

If the supply of fuel is to be reduced so as to keep a lower fire, the nuts H I-Iiare adjusted on the shaft 0, so that the throw of the'stoker E will be reduced and the opening from the hopper I correspondingly reduced, dumping a smaller amount of fuel;

The serrated edge e of the cylinder E breaks up to a certain extent the fuel, cuts or crushes the larger pieces that might be an obstruction, and prepares the fuel for the fire.

The combustion in the furnace takes place at or near the top of the fire-chamber, and as I00 the fuel is consumed a fresh supply is c011- stantly and automatically introduced from below.

The heat of the fire warms the contents of the fire-chamber beneath it, so that as the fresh fuel is introduced into the fire it is alreadyheated and prepared for the most perfect combustion, which would not be the case if it were introduced through a door on the top of the burning fuel. By means of this constantly-reciprocating stoker E a regular continuous supply of fuel is provided. By adjusting the throw of the stoker by the nuts H H the quantity can be regulated as desired, the result being that virtually no smoke is produced, but a small quantity of ashes relatively.

Heretofore in this class of furnaces it has been awkward and difficult to dispose of the ashes without interfering with the process of combustion. To remedy this, I provide a space above the fuel-supply chamber A and between the walls of the furnace, as indicated at L, Fig. 2. Of course if a very large fire is desired the fuel and fire can spread over a large portion of this space L. The natural result of the fuel being fed upwardly to the fire is that the ashes or unconsumed substance that may be in the fuel are thrown to either side and accumulate over the door K. These doors are arranged to open downwardly and permit the ashes accumulated above them to drop down into the ash-pitbelow. In order to have these doors underconstant control, I provide rods or shafts M, rigidly attached to the doors K and extending outward to the front of the furnace. On the outer ends of these rods or shafts M is fastened a ratchet-wheel N. As the rod M is turned the inner edge of the door K swings down, permitting the ashes to drop through them to the ash-pit below.

it is a pawl arranged to hold the ratchetwheel N'in any position desired, so that the door K can be opened to any desired degree and held there by the pawl and ratchet. This feature is important in starting the fire in the furnace, because there being no steam the blower is of course not in operation and there is not sufficient draft. Therefore, if the fuel-chamber or fire-chamber being supplied with fuel a fire is built on top of it, the doors K K opened to a sufficient extent to produce a proper draft until the fire has burned long enough to get up steam and get the blower in operation, which supplies an artificial draft, then the doors K K are closed. Of

course suitable handles or levers are provided for operating the shafts M M.

The stoker E is a cylinder open except for the cross-bracef, and of course fills with fuel, which forms a backing.

I am aware that furnaces have been constructed for the burning of fuel supplied from beneath and without the use of grate-bars.

In the drawings I have illustrated the shaft, which reciprocates the plunger or stoker, as extending through the entire structure and operated from the cam located at the back end. This arrangement is more convenient in some classes of furnaces or some locations; but I do not limit myself to such a construction, as the cam may be located at any convenient point best adapted to the location and construction of the furnaces.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A furnace substantially as described, provided with a suitable receptacle for the reception of coal from beneath-and achamber surrounding the same with a reciprocating cylindrical plunger for forcing the fuel into said receptacle, the forward end of said cy lindrical plunger being open and provided with serrated edges, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A furnace substantially as described, provided with a fire-chamber arranged to receive its supply of fuel from beneath and.

with side doors opening downward, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a furnace provided with a fire-chamberarranged to receive the fuel from beneath, a reciprocating plunger or stoker consisting of a hollow cylinder open at one end andprovided with serrated edges, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a furnace provided with a fire-chamber, arranged to receive the fuel from be neath, a reciprocating plunger or stoker, consisting of a hollow cylinder open at the forward end and having serrated edges and means for adjusting its throw or movement for regulating the amount of fuel admitted, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A furnace substantially as described, provided with a fire-chamber arranged to receive its supply of fuel from beneath and with side doors openingdownward, said doors controlled from the outside and provided with pawl and ratchet for holding them in any desired position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A furnace provided with a combustionchamber adapted to receive a supply of fuel from beneath without grate'bars and provided with twyer-irons a, a, and the downwardly -opening doors K, substantially as shown and described.

HOlVARD \VORTENDYKE.

\Vitncsses:

GEORGE IIEIDMAN, llARvEY EDWARDS. 

